


This Is My Practice Run

by lost_inthe_multiverse, realityiswack (lost_inthe_multiverse)



Category: Original Work
Genre: Empires of Entropy, Gen, Practice Run (Tags?), fandom tryout, i'm dumb, some drafts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:02:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23820505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_inthe_multiverse/pseuds/lost_inthe_multiverse, https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_inthe_multiverse/pseuds/realityiswack
Summary: I'm trying to figure out how to work on this platform still, so in the meantime, have this. a collection of mediocre ideas I had while focusing on one fandom and one fandom alone (at a time)
Kudos: 1
Collections: Works I’ve Read and Loved





	1. Empires of Entropy (Cyanide - EoE)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The entropy of a world like this.. it's the measure of the amount of magical energy which goes unused.”
> 
> "And what if we used it? What then?"

_"It all began with the first sunrise._

_Solumalia, they called her. Solumalia, the god of light, of birth._

_No one had ever seen the being, no living mortal could handle looking directly at the mother of life itself. But somehow, without more than a single record of existing, she raised a pale hand and created an empire bigger than any other. Foliage and breezes and a beautiful light that came from above._

_But with every light, comes a shadow._

_Matiorua, the goddess of shadows, of death. The exact opposite of Solumalia. They were sworn enemies from the moment they met._

_For centuries, the two were at war, Solumalia creating and Matioura breaking. It continued for so long, and it continued so harshly, that many pages of its records were worn off. In the end, neither won, realizing that they were equal in terms of eternal graces. In the end, they came to a truce, they created human life, and mythical creatures to keep them safe._

_This is where our story begins."_

He sighed and closed the tattered leather journal, pushing it aside as defeat rang in his mind. "That's..." A feminine voice in front of him began to speak, before pausing, seemingly dumbfounded. "That's all there is?" Without looking away from the old black leather, he nodded. 

She shook her head and shut her eyes for a moment, taking it in. "Goddess that created land, light, and life, another that made shadows and death. I'll assume that she's also responsible for making the wisps." With an exhale from her nose, she stood up from the velvet loveseat where she'd sat before. "And together they made us. How great." The sarcasm in her voice was as obvious as the church bells ringing, but he chose to ignore it.

"They also made.. those things." He looked down at his hand in shame, before folding it over his lap. The jewelry he wore may have been expensive, but it was near worthless to him at the moment. 

She scoffed. "They are not _things_ , Christopher. Control yourself. According to the journal, they're our divine guardians." She looked down at him from his height, wishing by stance alone to express her thoughts. _Don't mock the creatures that raised me._

He didn't mean to anger her, but it was true. They were creatures. Monsters. Must've been Matiorua's hand at work, the journal must've lied. "What will you release to the public? If you bend the truth, you know all three kingdoms will fall apart. But at the same time," staring outside the window, a look of guilt crossed her expressions. "Some won't want to hear about anything 'divine'. I know, at least, they won't." The sickening feeling continued to grow in his stomach. 

"Th-Then we won't tell them."

Her head snapped in his direction, lime green eyes lighting up in a frustration he knew well. "What do you _mean_ that you won't tell our people? Praedicu won't like this, and we're already on thin ice with them as it is. Chris, _we're poor_. We can't afford to wage another war. You _will_ release the text, and you'll do it by Moonday." She demanded, clenching and unclenching her fists as a relief mechanism. 

"But if we do release the texts, what does that mean for _our country_? Those savages might be your family, but as our queen, your priority should be Aquilo. And guess what, Liaeily? Releasing the texts will only agitate the rebels in the markets, and it will only make the Occidens more furious. This isn't avoiding war, this is _who to start it with_."

They both seemed to deflate after that, the grief replacing anger. "So...we either start war with the currently most powerful country, or with the most useful country?" He nodded again. The life seemed to be sucked out of her. “And… even though we stopped the last war… it all depends on us.” Her eyes were glued to the ground, small wisps coming on and about around her. She extended her hand towards him, and he stood, taking her hand in his. 

"For now, we'll enjoy the peace we have."

\---

My stupid things I write lol.

ANYWAYSSS!!

Welcome to this stupid thing I made: Empires of Entropy!

**_“The entropy of an object is a measure of the amount of energy which is unavailable to do work.”_ **

That's the google definition lol. So, empires of entropy. 'Empires' is plural, referring to the four kingdoms in this story. 'of..' Isn't as obvious as it seems. You'd think it replaces 'energy' with 'people' and 'object' with 'land', but actually: it replaces 'object' with 'a world' and 'is unavailable to do work' with 'goes unused'. With a few plot-related additions, it becomes: _"The entropy of a world is a measure of the amount of magical energy which goes unused by the population.”_ Thesis aside, we need characters and setting. Oh yeah and a summary of the actual plots. Basically, this is gonna be a story centered around four main plots. Aquilo, Praedicu, Occidens, and Ignisin. (and Furorem, which is just the shit plot) Lemme explain a bit more in-depth...

\---

Aquilo: The North country, known for its capitalistic government, dragon mountains, and unique urban structures. Used to be the biggest country until the war of X617. This part of the story centers around Christopher Aquilo Pierre, the king of the land, as he struggles to find traces of Solumalia and Matiorua—the goddesses who created the four kingdoms—and bring peace to the land while also trying to keep a war at bay.

Praedicu: The East country, known for its rebellious culture, dragon breeding, and its status as the first to breathe. After their win in the war of X617, they grew to be the most powerful of the countries. This part of the story follows Reva S. Langea as she tries to keep King Miroou's death hidden from the public, especially after the people start to revolt against the north kingdom. Trying to brush aside her greed and personal affairs, the king's guard struggles to act on either her own gain, her people's benefits, or the past king's will.

Occidens Mercartis: The west country, known for its rural rich soil, city-scale market, and neutral standing in the war of X617. This country is the least religious, the least magic-dependant, and the least violent. They've only once shown hostility, and it was after a group of rebels from Aquilo broke into Omirca and stole from the king's apple stand. Another thing they're known for is their distaste for dragons, following the belief that they only bring bad luck. The story follows Norren Rithuine and Wen Lilvit Rionthuine as they fall into a dragon cave, a nearly-hatched egg inside. Without knowing what else to do, Norren lets the egg hatch, and now has to find a way to hide the unmistakable wisps of magic from his kingdom.

Ignisin: The southern ruins, where the kingdom of Aiaofi once stood. It's been completely wiped out from the maps, but it's also a bit hard to miss the huge stone structures, and even harder to ignore all the chaos that its downfall brought with it. The kingdom was a castle on it's own, towering over the land as the richest, strongest, and liveliest of all four countries. After their defeat in the war of X617, the once thriving structures were broken down, looted, and completely stripped of their past glory. All those who hadn't managed to escape in time had to suffer the explosions first-hand, and paid with their lives. This story follows Saecriabu Costalan (whom usually just refers to herself as Saecri) as she searches her home's remains for the dragon eggs that once were entrusted to her by the royals of Aiaofi. During her search, she finds a certain something—a certain _someone_ —that she hadn't expected, and that someone has their own plans. Does she choose to follow her own path, or follow the love of her life towards an uncertain future?

Furorem Desert: A small area between the four kingdoms, filled with refugee towns, arenas, pubs, mixed cultures, and travellers. It's the neutral area of the four kingdoms, and often serves as a battleground. This part of the story is a simple one, following two friends as they wreak havoc among the populace, and cause a lot more than a few of the rumors for each kingdom. They experience their fair share of stupidities, of drama, and of shortcomings. There's absolutely no angst because the two of them are idiots, so don't expect much more than a few bar fights and complaints about the weather.

\---

Notes: There's a perfectly valid reason as to why Ignisin's storyline isn't called Aiaofi, and another perfectly valid reason as to why the queen isn't mentioned in Aquilo. The characters are just alternated versions of other characters, either from different fandoms or from. For example: The king of Aquilo, Christopher, is actually just Christopher Pierre from GHOST's "The Distortionist", but with a slight name/personality change. Oh yeah and he's a royal. Another example: Reva S. Langea is actually my OC, Sara, that's what the S stands for. 

Notes: In Praedicu, what I meant by 'first to breathe', well. It's actually a double-meaning kinda thing. One, it was the first human/dragon establishment (they very much cherish their relationship with the dragons) and two, it was the first country to use magic. They're definitely the most magically advanced, after Aiaofi was destroyed anyways. Maybe they would've stood at the top as the strongest country without taking in refugees from Aiaofi, but the fact that they did gave them a massive boost, especially since Aiaofi was basically the kingdom of dragons, and the fact that it was destroyed was a huge shock to everyone, oh and lemme tell you that Aquilo celebrated like they deserved, well they didn't really _deserve_ it since they ended so many lives but... I'm getting off topic.

More Notes: Cents is from Aiaofi, but fled to Occidens during the war, and had to leave the eggs behind. Yes, she's ashamed of it. On the other hand, Norman is a refugee from one of the raids in Aquilo's small towns, and even as king, acts as a perfectly normal guy. It's kinda hard to tell him apart from the crowd without the ringlet and cape. Also, a completed guide as to who is who in this happens to be in demand, (by my own confusion) so here:

Christopher Aquilo Pierre - Chris

Bethelin Aquilo Pierre - Belle

Liaeily M. I. Aquilo - Liam

Saecri(abu) Costalan - Cents

Norren Rithuine - Norman

Wen Lilvit Rionthuine - Lily

Reva S. Langea - Sara

N.S. Matiorua - Nova (HAA GUESS WHAT)

K.C. Solumalia - Kitsune (YES MY BROO)

Even More Notes: Yes we all have dragons. (Except Lily, oof) Yes the names actually mean things. All of these do, actually. Am I going to explain what they mean? Certainly ~~maybe~~ not. To avoid spoilers, I'll just give the name of the dragons, not who they belong to, and not what their wispy abilities are. (yes wispy lol) Lumoson, Perigos, Buitalan, Fumalin, Payyamali, Aiao, Faofi, Orstaribor, Spraenish, Iyanure, Yosono, and last but definitely not least Langea.

Yes, Even More Notes: I changed the name of a lot of shit here!! For example, the weekdays are Suyoso, Monure, Buoid, Landay, Orstardes, Fulin, and Spraeves. You can't recognize any of them and that's also for a perfectly valid reason. You may notice that parts of the weekdays seem an awful lot like some dragons' names. The days go in this order, by the way: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The names are really weird, I know, but again: perfectly valid reason.

Last Note, I Promise: After I've revealed all the characters in the stories, slowly, I might review the meaning of their names as well. Expect them every other chapter, but if you really want them, just tell me! I don't mind spoiling some things if you want answers, but of course, that'll have to be _after_ the introductions. (And yes, by the way, that up there is a sneek peek at the intro for Aquilo's plot. 'Lotta spoiler-ception that I'm giving you lol.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed my ranting! I don't know when I'll finally post the actual story, but don't expect it soon...at all. I'm slow, and busy, and also dumb as hell. I hyperfixated on this one idea for a while and thus came the disgusting mess of a rant that is this chapter. Yes, it's garbage, because yes, I did work on this only during my M4-C5ex break. Anyways, if you liked it, leave a kudos or something. Idk, isn't that what the successful internet writers usually tell you?


	2. Camera Revolution (Minecraft - The Game)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So you know how Minecraft is a thing? Yeah well what if we wrote stories based on that thing. Long ones. With lots of lore and plot. 
> 
> Just to leave the half-finished summaries in a google document for them to get forgotten and never re-visited. 
> 
> Just to fill up space, the hours of my work and my joy all left to rot at the expense of my own messed-up amusement.
> 
> ^^^ reasons why I don't write actual stories pt.3000 ^^^

(Quick Spoiler: this story burns through rulers just as fast as the Dream SMP burns through presidents/kings. It's mostly inspired by the SMP, so yeah, the parallels are very much on purpose.)

(Quick Warning: If I haven't said it before, _don't get attached to these stories_. It'll only hurt. I've gotten to the point where I resist writing because I only end up hurt. I have thousands of unfinished stories that I just don't have the skill or will to finish, and it hurts, so I just don't start to begin with. But I've never been good at holding back so :))

(Quick Notes: I originally wrote this on new year lol. The plot is only written down to, like, 7 months, I think? Probably 8. And most of it is just a large-ass rant in absolutely no order whatsoever. Here I'll only be trying to write the preview chapter. It's nothing actually worth reading. If I manage to make it past 3000 words written I'll consider making another chapter.)

\---

It took one rumor for everything to spiral. 

The day had been a Sunday, one bright and good for farming, when word first broke out. A man ran down the street, shouting "The king lied about defeating the Savannah Rebels!", before everyone and their mother began to doubt the crown. Their little bubble—built on nothing but lies—had begun to break, and the people's trust wavered.

The Savannah Rebels were known for the fire behind their eyes, the fire on their hands, the fire running through their veins. A gang of outcasts who lived for nothing but adrenaline and a little chaos. Sometimes they'd steal, they'd cheat death, but mostly just burned down important buildings and such. They never played sides, they harmed all and any in their way, and that's how it'd been for years.

Right until a few months ago, when Arvin had shown up to town, claiming he and he alone could take them down and send them running from the kingdom.

At first, no one believed him, even less those who'd known him from Verdelle. Just some fraud of a golden child, one obsessed with riches to the point of crime and betrayal. But a week after his public announcement, the fires had stopped burning, leaving ashes for him to crawl out of, now with a shiny new title in a shiny new place.

Lapis was a kingdom that'd lived without a king for years, only figure-heads who tried their best to steal the title for themselves, so when Arvin stepped up to take the crown, who were they to stop him?

So, he lied his way to the top, paying the figure-heads to spread rumors about non-existent villains he'd defeated. Dragons of sky and sea, monsters of the night that shot you down and ate away at your very core until death took pity upon your soul, and so much more.

While the people believed his tales and reveled in his synthetic glory, he taxed away from the farther villages, those who weren't close enough to hear the rumors. Those who knew of the forged tales prayed for the capital city and the thousands wrapped up in strings of one-way trust. Lucky they, to live in a fantasy where they could rest protected under the brave and determined eyes of a rightful king, not the tyrant who exploited the lower class for knowing of his fraud and of his unfortunate history.

So it continued, those lied-to living in harmony, and those that knew the truth living in some sort of waking nightmare. Told lies and lies until, at last, someone broke his spell.

___

On that Saturday afternoon, it wasn't in her best interest to listen to some half-drunk, foul-smelling guard from the southern gates, but what can one do when left alone to take care of a family diner past sunset?

_The shadiest customers always come at night_ , she told herself, not really listening to the slurred explanation of his love life. _I can't trust a word he says, but hey, at least it makes for great background noise._

Drying off the plate the man had used only minutes before, she pretended to listen to what he was saying, not that he'd stop talking if she ignored him anyway.

"So she threw the ring at my face and walked away, then rode off on a bronze, fire-breathin' dragon! Can you believe it? I don't even know where that dream came from, I ain't ever seen a dragon in my life, and I hope it stays that way!" Oh, so he'd been talking about a dream. Still didn't sound too far-fetched, considering all the other tales she'd heard while working here.

After he'd finished telling his imaginary audience of the dream, a few beats of silence passed, soft piano music coming from the jukebox across the room. She put away the now clean plate and let out a sigh. Was this the life she wanted to live? No, surely not, but at least it was calm. Between the smell of burnt toast at the crack of dawn and a constant stream of chores waiting to be done, she'd found comfort in the past few months. There wasn't a thing she needed anymore, except for maybe a raise.

The silence didn't last for much longer. The man behind her—who was called Pierce, as she'd just remembered—cleared his throat, looking awkwardly between his empty cup of beer and the bartender, aka herself. She only had a moment to roll her eyes before he started waving his cup in her face. Rude, but not the worst. "Nuh-uh, mister. No more beer for you. I'm sure you have a lovely family to get back to, and wouldn't they hate for you to come stumbling in, half-dead in the middle of the night?" That seemed to shut up his whining, as he set the cup back down on the table with a grunt.

Only two seconds passed before he started running his mouth again, this time with her actually listening. "Did'ya hear? The Savannah Rebels are back." Shocking, something actually interesting coming from his mouth. Good thing the diner was practically empty, save for them two and the people upstairs. If not, surely some stuck-up 'royal loyal' would come storming in their direction. "Didn't the king drive them outta here or something? That's what I've heard, at least."

"That's what everyone seems to think too, but we never did see Arvin raise even a pen in their direction. He just said that he was, and they ran off." He shrugged, a glass of water being passed to him as both a 'thanks for my future sleep deprivation' and a 'get sober so you can leave'.

"Maybe he lied? Who knows, really. With the shit I've heard, he could secretly be a lizard wearing a human's skin." She heard him choke on his drink as she prepared herself a small meal, choosing to spend her break listening to his gossip instead of going upstairs to where Vee was.

"Good one, kiddo." She chose to ignore his patronizing tone. "But no, most people in the valley think that they're just back for a second taste, or whatever _that's_ supposed to mean." She rolled her eyes once again, then watched as the glass filled only halfway with orange juice. Great, now that's another thing she had to buy tomorrow. "Personally, I don't believe it. He's scrawny, and from what my buddy John tells me, he's a criminal on Verdelle. Seems impossible that he could go against them, even less come out alive, and bring the throne with him."

She shot him an amused stare. "You work for him." She pointed a fork at him from the diner's silverware drawer, then sat down across the fairly large spruce table, setting her food down with her. "True, I do, but that's just to make ends meet. I don't actually like the dude, in all honesty. No one to the east does either, inside _or_ outside the borders." She looked back down towards her food with a thoughtful hum, then began to eat.

He continued to speak, filling out the silence that came with working at the diner during nighttime. It was interesting, and a bit heartwarming, really. Having someone to gossip with in the middle of an empty restaurant. Another reason why her life didn't suck. "Speaking of the borders, you're lucky to live here. Right in the middle of it all. Too far to get brainwashed, but too close to know what's happenin' down there." He said, voice going a bit lower as he spoke. As if this was some ancient secret he was telling her, some cursed prophesy. She raised an eyebrow, urging him to go on.

A voice in the back of her head told her not to listen on, that maybe if she played dumb, the situation would de-escalate on its own and she could go back to her peaceful life. But it was obvious that wouldn't happen. She'd tried it before, failed, and repeated it until she learned her lesson. Never again. So, she listened, the moment now a large contrast from just minutes ago.

"As I said, the Savannah Rebels are back. I didn't find out by going to shake their hand, trust me." She paused for a moment, swallowing her food and taking a sip of the orange juice before speaking. "Wait, so they're back to starting fires?" He shook his head, her brows pulling together in confusion. "It's worse. It's no longer just fires. They've stolen before, they've burned before, they've riled up the masses before, but all at once? It's a bit much, I'd say."

She took another bite of her food, then a sip, and went right back to talking. "Can't he just drive them back again? Even if it's a lie, if he didn't get rid of them with his skinny, meatless arms, I don't think it'll matter as long as the people are safe." He shook his head once again. "That won't be enough. This time, they want blood. I heard from John that they want the _king's_ blood." This time, it was her turn to choke on her drink, quickly taking a moment to compose herself. 

"Wait, they're after the king?"

He shrugged. "Apparently whatever he did to 'em just riled them up."

She stared down at her food, worry growing evident in her features. She didn't actually care for the man, believing him to be just another figure-head who craved nothing but riches and fame. From what previous customers had told her, he was greedy, taxing the farthest villages at double, where the farmers and the harder-working companies were. Once she'd seen a family of seven come in through the diner's double doors, all dirty and tired, begging for the cheapest meal. They all left with full stomachs and a few pieces of gold for each, but even so, she felt as if she hadn't done enough. As if they shouldn't have to return to whatever caused them to be that starved and worn.

No one deserved that. Which was exactly why she was worried.

It wasn't uncommon knowledge, amongst the kingdom of Lapis. Sometimes it even seemed as if the capital was its own little island, closed off by a sea of lies told by the people they trusted most. If the rebels knew what they were doing, and they were after the king, they'd take down his most prized possession first: the money. And where did the money come from? From the people he taxed. The villages. 

If they truly were after the king, the damage wouldn't be towards him. It would be towards the innocent lives who'd slaved away their days under his command. If she thought that poor working conditions were bad, robberies and fires would be so much worse. 

She finished up her food after that, forcing the meal down despite how her stomach churned. She stood up and quickly threw the stuff she'd dirtied into the 'chore' bin, turning back to him with a spin of her heel. "Thanks for the information—Pierce, was it? Stop by again. I can't promise I'll still be here, but just tell them you're one of Cam's favorites, you'll get a discount."

He stood up as well, then looked at her as if she'd told him to go and find her exactly twelve nether portals and shove a different number of eggs through them at once. "Cam's favorites? Who's Cam?"

She shoved him out the door hastily, then saluted. "I am, now shoo!" Despite her anxious state, she closed the door with surprising consideration for the wood.

He stared at the door for a little longer, before turning around and heading south, to the valley he had sworn to protect. He began to whistle a tune, looking up as he walked, noticing how he wasn't nearly as drunk as he was before. Maybe he'd dreamt the interaction up, actually.

"What an odd gal."

\---

She didn't have nearly as much consideration with the door upstairs, though.

"Viele, you will never believe what that guy just told me!" She exclaimed, slamming the door open as soon as it was in reach.

A curly-haired blonde sat across the room, one holding a total of three beds. Each part of the room was in an entirely different condition, the far left mostly dark and littered, with chipped and broken items on every surface. The far-right had a single pink wall and lots of chests that lined the wall, each neatly containing the clothes and materials for everyone else. And in the very middle, Cam's space, which looked as bland as a fresh-picked potato. It wasn't because she didn't have style, far from it, really. She'd just rather use her gold on keeping them all alive.

The blonde turned to the door, where one of their best friends stood. "The dirty-looking one? The guard?" They asked, a redhead across the room perking up at the word 'guard'. "Oh, great. Let me guess. We're getting kicked out again? Or did he ask for your hand in marriage and you're here to pick up your only three belongings before you head off?"

A small, rubber ball was thrown at the redhead. "Shut it, Dare. You know she'd ask for the guard to marry us two as well, if that were the case." The blonde stated, then turned back to Cam, who had sat down on the floor in front of her bed while the other two bickered. "Now, will you tell us what happened?"

"I would've declined the proposal, actually. Even if it'd been the Queen of Verdelle." Cam sighed, curling up her legs until her knees touched her chest. "But no, apparently you were right Vee, he was from the southern valley. And he had news." The blonde made a mental note to rub that victory in Dare's face at a later date, but stayed quiet, encouraging for the raven-haired female to continue speaking.

"Apparently the Savannah Rebels are back, and they're after the king. Whatever he did to them only made their attacks worse. Raids have already begun, I didn't ask where, though. From what I figured, they're after the smallest villages first, the ones that make the money. The ones that that family of seven came from. Then, they'll go straight for the price."

The other two stayed silent for a beat before Dare spoke up. "Damn, I was beginning to wonder why you looked so terrible." On the other hand, Viele went and walked up to where Cam had sat, then crouching down to reach her eye-level. "..I'm guessing you're not taking the news well?" Cam scoffed.

"Of course I'm not. Our situation was bad, but at least we weren't slaves. And now they also have to learn how to survive through raids?" Her tone had gone from devastated to pissed in less than three minutes, which wasn't the greatest news for whoever she directed that anger towards, considering that if she was mad, so were the other two, and together they'd gotten out of much more than just death's doorstep.

"Just- Why? Because some scrawny, outcasted fraud became king? And not them? Did he not keep up some deal or something? Why do others have to pay for it?" She asked rhetorically, knowing neither of them could provide her with an answer. Still, she needed some way to filter out her anger. For now, anyway.

By now, Viele had shifted to sit right beside Cam, an arm around her shoulders as she spoke. It wasn't much, but any comforting act would do, right about now. "Life sucks, as always." She muttered with a sigh, holding Cam a little closer.

Dare yawned, then threw themself on Cam's other side, sitting down with his legs stretched out and crossed. They let an easy-going grin settle onto his features as he folded both arms behind his head. "I mean, it's not like we can do anything about it. We have the diner to take care of, and we're struggling to keep business alive as it is, with you giving out discounts to every poor soul there is."

Cam stayed quiet, eyes glaring practical holes through the ground. Dare's grin faltered. "Cam, we have a diner to take care of." On the female's other side, Viele spoke up. "You're planning something, aren't you?" They asked, a small smile growing on her lips. Cam turned so that her body was completely facing the blonde, still partly curled-up. "Of course I am! Why would I give random strangers discounts if it wasn't to help them out? Plus, if we can get them into a better position than they are now, then we can raise the prices once again." She uncurled her legs and placed them over Viele's, before leaning back and resting her head on Dare's lap. "How's that sound, Mx. Janess?"

Dare sighed, putting both arms down. One was laid over Cam's stomach, the other used to flick her forehead. "I told you not to call me by my last name, jackass." Viele snickered, accepting that now she had legs stacked on her legs. "Sounds good to me. Whatcha' planning?" She asked, Cam closing her eyes and placing an arm over them to keep the light away from her eyelids. "Truthfully, first thing I thought of doing was just...stopping the raids. But I don't even know _how_ to do that."

A few moments of complete stillness passed, this time there not being a jukebox to fill the silence. Cam was focused on keeping her heartbeat steady, while Dare retreated into his mind, to remember a moment where they didn't have to worry about other people or if they were going to die in the next week from lack of food. To Dare's right though, Viele sat planning, picking up where Cam had left off.

She wanted the raids to stop, that was obvious. And there were only a few ways to do that. Defeating the Savannah Rebels, which was nearly impossible, as it'd be a 50v3, and only if Dare agreed to work with them. Getting all the citizens in the towns near the border to evacuate wasn't much of an option either, considering that there were hundreds of people in those villages. And if the rebels weren't satisfied with the damage they were doing on empty buildings, then they'd go after very populated ones. _Like the orphanage_ , they thought for a moment, before shoving those memories back down into the hell which they'd crawled up from.

There was one last option, though, this one a win on all sides. If they had no grubby scrubby man on the throne, then even grubbier and scrubbier people wouldn't come after him.

She decided to break the silence.

"What if we took down the king? Dethroned him or something? Then the rebels would stop, not having anything else to go after. Any extra damage done would be considered senseless terrorism, and if they don't want people actually going after them, then they'd stop. We give the riches out to those who need it, and with time, the kingdom will be stable enough so that no other money-monsters emerge!"

By the time Viele had finished speaking, both Cam and Dare were staring at her, one with shock and admiration in her eyes, the other with something akin to dread. "Vee, you genius! You _absolute genius_!" Cam sat up and hugged the blonde, meanwhile Dare let out a very long, exaggerated sigh. "I'm not escaping this, am I?"

From over Cam's shoulder, Viele looked at him. "Do you _want_ to escape this?" They thought for a moment, a finger pointed to their chin dramatically as they thought, before he shook his head. "Nah, I think it'll be much funnier if I follow along."

Cam sat back on the ground, now sitting across from the both of them. "It has been a while since we've done anything other than chores and the absolute lowest level of public service."

"Because you keep giving out discounts. _Everyone's_ your favorite nowadays. Why'd we even let you give those out?"

Viele decided to speak up then. "You forgot that I'm the one who works at the cashier." Dare rolled his eyes, choosing to ignore the comment.

"Why or how many discounts I give out is beside the point. What _is_ the point though, is that now we need to figure out how we'll dethrone Arvin, and when. The sooner the better, I don't want any more attacks happening." Cam stated, standing up from her place on the floor. Dare followed her lead, and soon enough, Viele did too.

Dare stretched his arms up behind his back, before walking over to his side of the room. "Can we talk about this over breakfast? I'm getting kinda tired." He settled himself into bed and let out an obnoxiously loud yawn to demonstrate, before curling up under their covers, leaving no room for argument. 

Cam sighed. "He's right. Before we plot the destruction of the capital city's sense of security though, we ran out of orange juice, and there's a whole shopping list on the board." Viele nodded, sitting down on their bed before looking back up at Cam. "Who's turn is it, again?" 

"Dare's"

"Stop talking about my undone chores and let me sleep, woman!" That got a laugh out of the other two, followed by Viele tucking themself in and blowing out the small candle beside their bed.

Cam, still standing, turned around and turned off the bedroom lights, watching as the redstone lanterns flickered into darkness. Walking to her own bed, she sat down on the ledge before blowing out the candle beside Dare's bed too, knowing that they wouldn't do it themself.

With that, she kicked her feet up and settled under the covers, only to stare at the ceiling through the hours of the night until the sky outside turned from black to cobalt, to yellow with the sun's rise.

And thus Sunday began, along with three separate ideas on how the next 24 hours would go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK! YOU! FOR! READING! I'm actually pretty proud of this one lol. Sidenote: Cam uses she/her, Viele uses she/they, and Dare uses he/they, for all those who were confused or needed confirmation. If anyone sees any mistakes in the pronouns or any mistakes in general, please tell me!
> 
> And with that, have a small extra scene :)
> 
> \---
> 
> Putting the dish away, a small memory of last night flashed through her mind. "Pfft, only you, Vee, could call the king a 'money-monster'." The curly-haired blonde chuckled at the reminder, while Dare only groaned. "Could you two stop being insufferably friendly? I'm trying to make it to the trading post alive, thanks." 
> 
> Viele's laughter only grew, while Cam waved her hand in dismissal, a small care-free smile on her features. "Oh, you'll be fine. Now get going, we're already late and I don't wanna leave my favorites waiting."
> 
> "Everyone's your favorite!"
> 
> Viele ended up choking on her own spit while laughing, and Dare sprinted out the door before he got bonked across the head for indirectly causing that.
> 
> He'd be causing a lot of worse things today, though, so the thought flickered from his head soon enough.


	3. Two Stars On The North Horizon (Cyanide - Bedtime Stories)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That night, as the sun rested with a new heir to their world, two stars appeared on the north horizon, one slightly Northwest, and the other slightly Southeast. Only one of them carried a blessing and its matching curse, and if Lovania had her way, it would remain so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huh? What's this? Another update that isn't 3 months after the last? 
> 
> This isn't nearly as long as it should be, and wasn't even what was supposed to be posted, but for the meantime, enjoy whatever fluffy garbage I wrote down.

The night sky was always littered with stars, no matter where you went in this world of hers. There would always be light in the darkest hours of the day, just as there was always a shadow in the brightest. The sun and moon disregarded earthly science, always rising from the same spot, no matter the time of year. Whether there be the stormiest clouds or the strongest winds, she’d made it so that whatever was to happen, her child could rely on the sky to guide her. 

And if that weren’t enough, the two stars on the north horizon would always provide for her. From the roof of any building in this kingdom, they could be seen shining a pale blue, lighting up a tiny part of the horizon themselves. 

_ “If you’re ever lost, my dear,” _ She remembers singing this song a thousand times over, to the same baby soft skin and the same pair of bold ruby eyes. Not a single note misplaced, and not a single beat skipped, as there wasn’t a thing in the universe to sever the love she sung with. 

_ “Anywhere across the atmosphere,” _ Often, she found herself fearing for the child held in her arms. She was too frail and too prone to injury for her to not worry. Sometimes she thought to raise her palm against the child’s forehead, rip the light of the stars for a fraction of the night—just long enough to heal her, to strengthen weak bones and heal accidental scrapes for the rest of her life. 

_ “If the seas won’t clear,” _ But with every time the idea presented itself, another thought would soon follow, one which would cause her to hesitate. What if her child didn’t want to be healed? What if she wanted to grow on her own, to be taught whatever cruel lesson the world would teach, to go off on her own and live without the curses and blessings of being born under the strength of a million stars?

_ “And your fears prove true.” _ It had only been half a decade, and no matter how many thousands of those she’d lived through, this one would remain her favorite. Maybe second best, depending on how their future played out. All because of one being, one whom she had no idea existed until merely three years ago. 

_ “If I’m not here, don’t fear,” _ She’d been woken up by both a guard and a strange dream, one that only showed a painting of two stars on the horizon. Led downstairs in only a nightgown and slippers, she remembers seeing a crowd of castle maids, all gathered by the door and whispering between themselves. Some sounded shocked, others fearful. Most in awe. 

_ “My child, don’t shed any tears,” _ This, overall, was what sparked her interest. Even in her most humble state, the castle staff had always treated her like a deity, which she couldn’t blame them for. So seeing their attention turned to something else was quite surprising, intriguing, even. It was only after she stepped to the front that she realized what the commotion was about.

_ “Even as the time turns to years,” _ A beautiful child, no older than a year, with pale skin and hair even lighter. A little girl laid on a hand-woven wheat basket, a wool blanket laid over burgundy silk, possibly the most expensive whoever brought this had. She picked the child up in her arms, and the small one’s eyes opened, revealing ruby red with a tint of lavender. 

_ “I’ll be there to guide you.” _ That day, she swore this child’s life upon her own, and announced to the world the arrival of her child. For weeks, the people asked themselves who the father was, how their ruler had been pregnant with a child without them knowing, and she didn’t bother to tell them that she never was. No matter where she’d come from, she would raise this child as her own. The little girl would never even have to ask for the world, as it was already hers, and it always would be.

That night, as the sun rested with a new heir to their world, two stars appeared on the north horizon, one slightly Northwest, and the other slightly Southeast. Only one of them carried a blessing and its matching curse, and if Lovania had her way, it would remain so.

  
  
  


-o0o-

  
  
  


_ “If you’re ever lost, my dear _

_ Anywhere across the atmosphere _

_ If the seas won’t clear _

_ And your fears prove true _

_ “If I’m not here, don’t fear _

_ My child, don’t shed any tears _

_ Even as the time turns to years _

_ I’ll be there to guide you _

_ “If the clouds break apart _

_ And the blue moon does its part _

_ Walk north, however far _

_ Be sure you’ll make it through _

_ “The sky and sea as your gear _

_ Stride through all your fears _

_ Break the world with a spear _

_ Dare it ever ask who _

_ “You are legend, you are mine _

_ A child born with only ally _

_ No matter what, you’ll be fine _

_ I trust in all your alibis _

_ “The sky and stars belong to you _

_ The sun and moon, the sea too _

_ Everything red and everything blue _

_ All glories yours to pursue” _

_ —@realityiswack (Tumblr) _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a weird way for me to plug my tumblr account lol  
> Anyways, maybe someday I'll sing/play (uke or piano? That is the real question) out the lullaby and post it on there, but don't count on it so I'll probably just edit this if I do lol.


	4. Purple Moonflowers Weaved into Crowns (Cyanide - Bedtime Stories) Pt.2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How about this, then. If you promise to go to sleep now and we hand out the crowns in the morning, I’ll tell you a bedtime story, how does that sound?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bruuuhhhhh imagine realizing two months too late that you didn't post a chapter
> 
> (it's not actually too late, but that sounds more dramatic, so let me be)
> 
> Anyways have story. I'll finish posting the rest of the tale someday, I can't assure it'll be today or tomorrow, but it should be soon. Enjoy!

Once upon a time, two years ago, she remembers sleeping soundly with a child in her arms on this very day. She remembers being lulled to sleep by the steady heartbeat of one claimed as her own, remembers the warmth of the fire in front of them fading away throughout the night, and most of all, she remembers sleeping peacefully.

Nowadays, asking for as much as a peaceful breakfast was too much, and any form of rest seemed impossible. 

Of course, it wasn’t actually impossible. The entire world laid under her fingertips, and what she says goes, no matter how out of reach. She controlled the sky and seas, the fire and the land on which it roared, along with everything in between. If she truly wanted silence, if she truly wanted peace, all it took was a snap of her fingers. With such intentions, all her troubles would cripple into nothing at once.

But no, this was a little more difficult, and something that couldn’t just be snapped away. Because when you swore someone on yourself, that meant that not only everything they did lay on your shoulders, but everything that happened to one would happen to the other. If she were to banish the child to the void now, she would soon follow, and with her, so would the entire world. And that would just be too much of a hassle to reverse.

Honestly, it was completely her own fault. The lack of sleep, of rest, and of purple moonflowers in the garden. But how was she to know that the child would grow to be packed with the energy of a hundred suns? How would she have guessed that the child would develop such convincing, bright, and sad eyes? It wasn’t fair. Especially not when the child asked for sweets, because that battle would be won long before she even asked.

So now she sat on a loveseat in front of the fireplace, a yawn escaping her lips as the ruby-eyed child finished yet another messy flower crown, excitedly going to stack it beside a matching accent chair across the room. Actually, the entire room matched the color of the moonflowers. Lavender walls with white accents, and all the furniture silver and white with muted purple square patterns over them, pearls and amethysts decorating most of the metallic parts. Only the dark gray carpet was saved from the many shades of purple, but she had a feeling that wouldn’t last.

She remembers a time when she, too, had an obsession with the flowers. There was something about them growing under the sun and blooming only under the stars that made her like them. Not to mention her love for most poisonous plants, which had followed her throughout her entire life. Still, wasn’t it a bit early for the child to fascinate herself with the flowers? Especially when their seeds were so dangerous, which was why she had found herself watching over her daughter in the middle of the night. Oh, the life of a parent. So stressful and ever so lovely.

“Momma!” She flinched, brought back to life by a small, excited voice. “Ma, I’m done with the crowns!” She looked ahead, met with a child four years of age, trying her best to keep sixteen flower crowns stacked in her arms as she walked closer. The image brought a smile to her face, despite the loud awakening, and she stood to help her daughter out, grabbing ten of the crowns in her own arms. “Here, let me help you out a bit. Don’t walk closer to the fire, they might catch a spark, and we wouldn’t want all your hard work lost.” Not to mention that the child would be sad, and she’d lose even more sleep comforting her.

She set the crowns on the loveseat where she’d sat before, her daughter following soon after, placing them down a little bit too quick. She rescued the top two which had threatened to fall off the furniture piece, and instead placed them right beside the other two stacks of flower crowns, followed by a splitting of the ten-crown stack, just so none of them would fall. Now there were four stacks, four crowns on each, and she let out a satisfied sigh, followed closely by another yawn.

She walked over to the bed which her daughter was now trying to climb and picked her up, the light-haired child having no warning other than a whispered “Swoop!” from behind her. She sat them both on the bed, then lifted the sheets and settled the little girl in, followed by her subconsciously flattening out the wrinkles on the bed. 

The silence didn’t have long to settle in, though, as the child quickly spoke up. “Maa, I don’t wanna sleep yet! We still have to go give out the crowns!” She sighed, thinking of the mere possibility of her getting up again to go around the palace, handing out flower crowns to sixteen of the maids in the castle, all scattered about in their preferred castle wing or sleeping chamber. Nope, she did not have the energy to do that. Not until she got some sleep.

“Yumi, hun, it’s late. We can hand them out in the morning. We’ve ran around the entire day, aren’t you tired?” The ruby-eyed girl vigorously shook her head, demonstrating the truth to her unspoken statement. She sighed. “How about this, then. If you promise to go to sleep now and we hand out the crowns in the morning, I’ll tell you a bedtime story, how does that sound?”

Yumi let out a sound somewhere in between a gasp and a squeal, which was enough to prove her excitement. “A story? You haven’t told me one of those before! What kind of story? Is it a book? Ooh, can I hold it?” She let out a small chuckle, watching her daughter grow increasingly more excited for the story. She waited until the little girl was done, then booped her nose, a smile growing on her lips. 

“No, it’s not a book.” She sat herself beside Yumi, right on the ledge of the bed. There was a very low chance that she’d fall, with how she sleeps, but she’d still rather it be her than Yumi. “But it is a good story, one about a place where magic runs in the cold winter winds, and where both angels and demons rely on humankind to save the world.” She saw Yumi leaning closer to lay her head on her lap from the corner of her eye, and smiled. She placed an arm over her daughter, fingers running through the girl’s pearly white hair. It sure had been a while since she’d told this story. A reminder would be nice.

_“Once upon a time, there was a kingdom called Silica. Its land was covered in stone walls and lavender flowers, the towns built between the four-sided barricade that surrounded them._

_The land where nothing ever happened because no one knew how to do anything. People starved, people drowned, people fainted, and people died at every corner you could see. Death was nearly routine, and families had long since forgotten the sorrow of losing a loved one after losing so many.”_

She heard Yumi hum, something resembling worry or dislike. It was understandable, but it was also barely scratching the surface, so she continued.

_“Within one of Silica’s many stone-built, torch-lit houses, there was a young man that went by the name Morir Soñando. A clever boy who nobody believed in, an orphan after the desperation had taken his mom and the famine had taken his dad.”_

She paused for a moment to yawn, then tiredly smacked her lips and continued to narrate. 

_“The boy was frail, and many thought he was the next to die, never able to carry on his family name. But Morir had hope. And Morir had a mind so smart that he dreamed of creating a world where machines made living happily possible, and he had the thought to make his dream come true.”_

_“So, Morir got to work. He worked day and night, never blinking and never resting, slowly but surely making machines to help the many others in need. As the village began to prosper, they began idolizing him, but not once did anyone check up on his health. Months passed, and not once did Morir come to realize the progress he was making, his once clever and quick thoughts now replaced by the mindless desire to work.”_

  
  
She heard yet another hum of discontent from beside her, and paused the story for a moment. “It gets better, I promise.” She whispered, getting a slurred “If you say so” in return.

_“So, lusting after the labor, he continued to work. And after many years of working at making his dream a reality, Morir managed to save his village from the brink of extinction. And with it, he extinguished himself. Morir died a hero, but most of all, he died dreaming of a brighter future.”_

She felt a nudge on her side, but she ignored it, and continued. It did get better. The story, surprisingly, wasn’t all doom and gloom. _“But the gods didn’t think that to be a fair end for their little hero. So, they brought down one of their own to reincarnate and possess Morir, the two souls now living as one in a single body.”_

_“They renamed themself Vivir El Sueño, and Vivir lasted many years. Now half immortal, Vivir saw the once withering town as it flourished, then grow old. They’d done it, secured their legacy for generations and generations to come. So, now pleased with the fruits of their hard work, Vivir found a spouse and had a child, one born from a mortal and the revived heavenly hero of a graveyard town.”_

She smiled as she heard soft snores to her side, and raised her hand towards the fireplace, the flames simmering into nothing with just a flick of her wrist. The moonlight settled through the windows, and in what was nearly instinct, she continued to tell the story, as she had done many years ago to someone who was now but a memory.

_“The happily ever after only lasted ten moons.”_

_“Once the child was born, it was only a matter of hours before everything as they knew it came to an end. You see, maybe the gods had favored their little hero, but Mother Nature believed that there was to be a balance between mortal and immortal at all times. She’d let Vivir live only because she didn’t have the heart to take the gods’ joy away, but now this little game had gone too far.”_

_“With bated breath, every plant and animal in Silica waited and waited until the next sunrise, curious as to what their mother might do next. And, as dawn came, so came a burst of fire—scorching all around it to nothing but hot air, every mortal left as a pile of ashes to be blown away by the winds. Even Vivir, the half-god hero, had somehow disappeared from the very fabric of existence, and no living proof left inside a single building to continue the kingdom’s legacy.”_

By now, she found herself half asleep, and oh how well-timed the slumber had come to her. The story was far from over, sure, but this would forever remain her favorite part to tell. Not because it was sad, but because it laid the groundwork for a wonderful story—or better said, a retelling of a world lost long ago. 

Before her eyes shut completely, she let out yet another yawn, followed by a whisper that acted as a promise of continuation. It was short, and simple, the perfect cliffhanger to her tale.

_“All but one.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone who's ever gonna read this chapter has already heard the story because I advertised it like fuck. Also, yes, Morir is named after the Puerto Rican drink which literally means "to die dreaming". You could, theoretically, blame me for doing something so dumb, but in my defense that drink is delicious and could even rival hot cocoa in terms of deliciousness.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Can't promise anything but garbage in the upcoming chapters, sadly. There's gonna be a max of 5 people reading this before I delete it anyway so ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


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